Belmont Hires Everett City Services Leader as New DPW Director

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Not wasting any time to fill an important town position, the Belmont Board of Selectmen voted Monday night, Dec. 1, to appoint Jason Marcotte, the director of city services in Everett, to replace Peter Castanino as Director of the Belmont Department of Public Works.

“[Marcotte] has a great reputation and enthusiasm” in the public works arena, said David Kale, Belmont’s town administrator who was part of the search committee.

Kale noted that his experience in public works operations and fiscal and project management “has provided him with the opportunity to work effectively with elected and appointed officials, committees and boards at all government levels.”

“I have met [Marcotte] and what an impressive person he is,” said Selectmen’s Chair Andy Rojas.

“[I’m] pleased we attracted such a fine applicant [for the position],” said Rojas.

Marcotte was hired as an employee at will with a base annual salary of $120,000. He begins work on Jan. 5, 2015.

Marcotte, who goes by Jay, has been a young man on the move in the past few years. He was hired in Everett in July 2013 after spending a year and a month as Manager for the Village of Northfield, Vt. which recruited him from his job as assistant director of public works in charge of fleet, facilities and solid waste departments in Bryan, Texas, a neighboring city to College Station, the home of Texas A&M University.

“[Jay’s] innovative approaches and ability to think outside of the box resulted in significant fiscal savings for the Departments under his charge,” Alton Rogers, a fellow Bryan employee, wrote on Marcotte’s Linkin profile.

“If you wanted the words which best describes Jay, they would be integrity, honest, intellegent, innovative, perseverant and fair,” wrote Rogers.

Marcotte – who matriculated at Norwich University where he earned a BS (in biology) and MPA – also has work experience in the budget process and with large regional organizations as a member of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s advisory board. 

He was also the chair for the Solid Waste Technical Committee for the American Public Works Association, a national organization of public works professionals with 30,000 members.

Marcotte should also garner the attention of the members of Sustainable Belmont as he published a paper on the workability of a cap and trade system for solid waste that was featured by the Sustainable City Network. He also presented a paper at the APWA annual conference in August titled “Boras, Sweden – A city free from fossil fuels.”

“His paper on cap and trade in the solid waste arena is cutting edge. The industry and government should stand up and take notice. I hope to see him published in the near future,” wrote fellow MPA recipient Erica Balk.

Marcotte lives with his wife and two children in Nottingham, NH which is close to the University of New Hampshire. He is on the town’s budget committee and ran unsuccessfully in March 2013 for the town’s three member board of selectmen, losing by seven votes out of approximately 700 cast.

Belmont Police Collecting Toys for Area Tots

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The Belmont Police Department will once again be a collection point for the annual Toys For Tots campaign.

The Police’s HQ is located across Concord Avenue from Belmont Town Hall at 460 Trapelo Rd. at the corner of Pleasant Street.

The United Sates Marine Corps Reserves, which runs the program each year, is asking for new, unwrapped toys which are needed for children in Belmont and surrounding communities. 

(Here’s some trivia: The “Toys for Tots” logo was designed by Walt Disney.)

Donation bins are set up in the department’s main lobby and are accessible seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Donations made before Dec. 15 will be helpful to ensure the toys are distributed on time. Please call 617-993-2550 if you are in need of assistance or have any questions.

A Belmont Lions Share of Christmas Trees and Wreaths Now on Sale

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Belmont residents Colleen Ford and Linda Garrity slowly made their way up and down the evergreens standing outside the Belmont Lions Club on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Like each year, they ventured down to Belmont Center looking for that “right” Christmas tree.

“You don’t want it too big because over time they fill out,” said Garrity.

Nor should it be too tall as the tree will be placed in the kitchen, explained Ford.

“We put it there because the window looks out over the access road [to Route 2],” she said.

“We think it’s nice for drivers to see, and it’s also a way to show off a little,” Ford said.

The pair were some of the first customers on the first day of the annual Belmont Lions Club Christmas tree and wreath sale which has transformed into its own holiday tradition for hundreds of families in Belmont and the surrounding communities for the past five decades.

“Our family does this each year,” said Kristen Lonero, who was back from attending Curry College to help her father get the right tree.

“We know the people so this is like a Belmont reunion,” said Lonero, who not so many years ago spent time with fellow athletes at the Club – one of the 46,000 local clubs worldwide with more than 1.35 million members in 200 countries – located under the Belmont station of the MBTA commuter rail line.

Lion’s President Kevin Vona said he and his 63 fellow members will spend from last Saturday until Christmas Eve selling approximately 2,800 trees and 2,000 wreaths, “but every year we sell out before the 24th.”

Supplemented by volunteers from the Belmont High School sports teams – Boys’ hockey and lacrosse were there to unload the first delivery of trees while softball created wreaths – “we all do our little part to make this a success,” said Vona.

Former Belmont resident Al Gledhill was placing trees on mini-van roofs with the expertise of someone who loves to volunteer.

“It’s the season,” said Al.

The sale’s proceeds go to help the Lions Internationals’ SightFirst programs that focus on its Childhood Blindness Project and other sight-related charities as well as fund a pair of scholarships at Belmont High School.

This year, change and donations placed in the “tip” jar will go to Belmont S.P.O.R.T. (Special Programs Organized for Recreation Time) which provides activities for individuals of all ages with special needs.
“People come here not just that it’s close, but they know the money they spend here is going to a worthy cause,” said Vona.

While the weekends can be busy, and the traffic traveling up Royal Road can cause everyone to do a “quick step” to avoid a collision, “I think everyone has a blast coming here. Our guys and the customers,” said Vona.

Jasyn Tandy and his daughter, Elise, were spying a couple of trees to select.

“She definitely has a voice in which one we select,” said Tandy of his toddler who was looking with a family friend.

With the selection made, Tandy decided to put the tree over his shoulder and head up Royal Road (he only lives three houses up the street.”

“My daddy’s strong,” said Elise.

New Belmont Property Tax Rate to be Released Monday

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“Things as certain as Death and Taxes, can be more firmly believed,” wrote Daniel Defoe in “The Political History of the Devil.” 

Tonight, Monday, Dec. 1, the Belmont Board of Selectmen will be take on the certainty of taxes as it receives and will vote on how much residents and landowners will pay in property taxes.

The Board of Assessors will make its annual visit to the Selectmen’s Room to announce their recommendations on what is officially known as the “annual property classification/tax rate for fiscal year 2015.

A year ago this month, Belmont’s property tax rate was set at $13.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That was a 17 cent increase from the fiscal 2013 rate of $13.33/$1,000.

Last year’s tax rate broke a barrier in which half of Belmont property owners would pay $10,000 or more as the median Belmont residential property of $782,600 would result in a bill of $10,565.10.

This Week: Santa’s Here on Thursday! All-Night Shopping Tuesday, Flu Clinic Friday on the Beech

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• On the government end of things, the Belmont Board of Selectmen are meeting on Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall while the Zoning Board of Appeals will hold court in the Belmont Gallery of Art at the same time and date. The Belmont Planning Board will meet on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall while over at the Chenery Middle School, the Belmont School Committee will be in session beginning at 7:30 p.m.

• The Belmont Public Library’s 7th-8th Grade Book Club will discuss Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson on Monday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Young Adults Room. Attendees will also choose January’s book and enjoy some snacks.

• Pre-School Storytime will be held at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer run library, on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 10:30 a.m. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.

• Growing in popularity since beginning in 2010, Belmont Center’s fifth annual Midnight Madness will allow shoppers to buy locally from 21 stores which will stay open from 6 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 2. There will be snacks, drinks and each hour, customers can expect even deeper discounts. 

• The Belmont Public Library is hosting a Homework & Hot Chocolate for Chenery students from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Stop by the Assembly Room, work on your homework, enjoy some hot chocolate, and try out an activity. Provided to you for free, thanks to the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.  Just drop in, no registration required.

• The extremely popular Art Classes resume for the year at the Beech Street Center with the first class taking place on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 2 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Catherine Tang, now a senior at Belmont High School, returns to teach – without charge – her popular art class on Wednesday afternoons. Catherine uses, and provides, a variety of media including colored pencil, water color, charcoal, etc. There is no cost to attend but you must sign up.

• Representatives from Belmont and Watertown that serve on the Logan Airport Community Advisory Committee are hosting a public meeting on airplane noise from Logan airport on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. in Belmont’s Town Hall. 

• The Beech Street Center is holding hearing screenings on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Receive a free hearing test, and if needed your hearing aid battery replacement. Mass Audiology offers this service free of charge to Center participants. Sign up at the front desk or call 617-993-2970.

• It’s LEGO time at the Belmont Public Library from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4. The library’s LEGO club is for kids in kindergarten through second grade who want to meet and create their own unique structures.  All LEGOs will be provided so just bring your imagination to the Assembly Room.

• Mrs. Claus joins Santa for the Belmont Center Business Association’s 24th annual “Turn on the Town” celebration on Thursday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank, the holiday festivities will run along Leonard Street in Belmont Center.

• Rogers Pharmacy will conduct a flu immunization clinic at the Beech Street Center on Friday, Dec. 5 from 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. The flu shot is covered by Medicare, Part B and by most health insurance plans. Otherwise the cost is $25.99.  

 

Sports: Belmont Football Snowed In By Watertown, 34-13, on Thanksgiving

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Belmont High School’s Harris Field was covered with a sheet of snow with only the yard lines and the Marauder mascot dug out in preparation for the frigid start to the 94th annual Thanksgiving Day football match with Watertown High School.

And for most of the game, the boys from Belmont could not shake off their equally cold start as the Marauders did not have an answer to Watertown’s down-hill running and swarming defense which dominated the first half of the game.

Despite playing the Red Raiders even in the final 22 minutes, Belmont (3-8) lost for the third year in a row to the Red Raiders, 34-13, before the largest crowd of the season.

“That was a great Watertown team and we have no reason to hang our heads,” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin, whose first year at the helm saw the Marauders break a winless streak at home and for total games while winning three games in a row, the longest winning streak in close to a decade.

A pair of plays highlighted Belmont’s turkey day just before and after halftime. After Belmont’s defense stopped Watertown on the Belmont’s 10 yard line on fourth down, senior co-captain and running back Max Jones darted over his favorite right side of the line – behind senior center and co-captain Austin Lutz, senior right tackle Deshawn Frederick and sophomore right guard Justin Arroyan – to outrun the Red Raiders’ defensive backs for a 90 yard touchdown with 2:14 left in the half.

The second big play was a 30-yard strike from sophomore quarterback Cal Christofori to senior wide receiver Jaehmar Paul in the end zone that cut the lead to two possessions at 28-13.

But on the subsequent kickoff, Watertown’s senior running back Austin Farry took Darren Chan’s kickoff and ran straight up the field for an 80 yard touchdown to increase the lead to 21 points after the extra point was missed.

Belmont found itself in a deep hole as Watertown used its strong running game led by Farry, sophomore running back Zachary Rimsa and senior quarterback Nick Giordano to run out to a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Watertown defense focused its attention on stopping Jones who had an all-star caliber in the final three games with 10 touchdowns and nearly 600 yards rushing. Forced to pass due to Watertown’s emphasis on halting the run, Christofori was intercepted on his second attempt as Belmont trailed 7-0 leading to the Red Raiders’ second touchdown in the first quarter.

Belmont’s defense came to life as Watertown drove deep into the Marauders territory late in the second quarter. Led by good defensive plays by senior inside linebacker Marco Perrone and senior outside linebacker Bryce Christian as well as a diving tackle on fourth down by sophomore Ben Jones, Belmont took possession from Watertown. The next play was the scamper by Jones’ older brother.

But the defense could not stop Watertown from scoring the last of the four first half touchdowns just 70 seconds after Jones’ TD.

“We couldn’t stop [Watertown] when we got it down to 14 points despite grabbing the momentum,” said Kumin.

In the second quarter, Belmont’s defense were more assertive, including recovering a pair of fumbles. And while the offense did have a few flashes of inspiration – specifically junior running back Mekhai Johnson‘s nifty 20 yard run in the fourth quarter – Belmont tripped themselves up with an interception that was tipped three times before falling into the arms of a Watertown defensive back and being flagged for intentional grounding 30 seconds after the play after the Watertown coaching staff lobbied for that infraction to be called.

In the end, at the final huddle of the year after the game, Kumin praised his departing seniors briefly “because if I do it out here I’ll just start crying. I’m so damn proud of you.”

“I say it every week. They came to practice each day with purpose and dedication. They could have easily packed it in but they never did. I don’t know if I could have done it, but they did,” said Kumin.

For the new head coach and his staff, the next 10 days will be away from watching films, discussing strategy and motivating young players.

“But we’ll be in the weight room [on Monday, Dec. 8] preparing for next season,” he said.

Sold in Belmont: For One Week, ‘Affordability’ the Buzzword

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A weekly recap of residential properties bought in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 2-4 Exeter St. Victorian two-family (1897), Sold for: $746,000. Listed at $750,000. Living area: 2,900 sq.-ft. 13 rooms; 6 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 70 days.

• 4 Ripley Rd. Condominum (1890), Sold for: $610,000. Listed at $575,000. Living area: 2,358 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 5 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 53 days.

• 35-37 Harvard Rd. Two-family (1928), Sold for: $847,500. Listed at $849,900. Living area: 2,574 sq.-ft. 12 rooms; 6 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 112 days.

• 178 Waverley St. Side-entrance Colonial (1920), Sold for: $751,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 2,076 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 50 days.

• 134 Mill St. Colonial (1926), Sold for: $480,000. Listed at $499,900. Living area: 1,248 sq.-ft. 6 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 64 days.

• 7 Harvard Rd. Condominum (1920), Sold for: $435,000. Listed at $430,000. Living area: 1,293 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 58 days.

• 59 Edgemoor Rd. English-style Colonial (1935), Sold for: $1,060,000. Listed at $975,000. Living area: 2,372 sq.-ft. 9 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 49 days.

Nothing best describes a mature housing stock than when the “youngest” home sold in the past week is a mere 79 years old. That home, the “English-style” Colonial (what the salesperson should have said is that it has Tudor characteristics; the English-style actually goes back to the 1700s) on Edgemoor is the outlier this week, selling for seven figures as most of the residential properties sold for less than the medium home value in Belmont which last year was around $777,000.

The most interesting sale was the one on Mill Street in which the Colonial sold for under $500,000. Yet on closer look, the price discount is due to the location of the house: feet from a busy roadway and on the “wrong” side of the byway, adjacent to the McLean property and away from the Kendall Gardens neighborhood. In addition, the living area at 1,250 square-feet, was less than the condominiums sold this week. 

This Weekend: Arts and Craft Fairs, A Comedy from the Dramatic Club, Small Business Saturday

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Residents will have a pair of craft and arts fairs to find the perfect holiday gift.

• The 13th Annual Crafts Fair at the Beech Street Center will take place on Saturday, Nov. 29, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 40 vendors will be selling gifts, toys, cards, holiday ornaments, dolls, jewelry, scarves, sweaters, quilts, knitted goods, and other hand-crafted items, many of them one-of-a-kind. Sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Council on Aging, the proceeds from table rentals and sale of donated goods go to support the Council on Aging’s programs, services, and scholarships. Cost is $1 – children under 12, free. Public invited.

• The Belmont VFW at 310 Trapelo Road – across from the Belmont Fire Department – is holding the Winter Light Arts Festival on Sunday, Nov. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. Put together by Joanna Brooks and Sharon Nahill of Oak Hill Pottery, there will be works by sculptors, potters, jewelers, fabric artists, painters, photographers and graphic artists.

• The Belmont Dramatic Club presents “Old Acquaintance,” a comedy in three acts by John Van Druten, today, Saturday and Sunday. Directed by Michael Trabucco, the play involves old friends and literary rivals who discover that love can lead to some surprising conclusions. Performances. in the historic auditorium of Belmont Town Hall, are Friday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. and a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Nov. 30. Founded in 1903, the Belmont Dramatic Club is the second oldest continuously operating and performing community theatre group in the United States.

• Belmont is a great small business town. This Saturday, it’s time to give back. Since 2010, Small Business Saturday has been helping small businesses do more business a day after Black Friday. Don’t forget that twice as much of each dollar spent at a local shop or restaurant stays within the town in wages, taxes and money spent on goods. 

The Game: Belmont Seeks Great Finish With Victory Over Watertown

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Make it four.

With a three-game winning streak and playing the annual Thanksgiving Game on its home field, the Belmont High School Football team and its young, energetic coaching staff are seeking to end the season with a win over a talented, playoff toughened Watertown High School team today, Thursday, Nov. 27.

The game, at Harris Field, will kick off at 10:15 a.m. Tickets are $8 at the gate.

Led by first-year head coach Yann Kumin, the Marauders (3-7) will take its strong running game behind senior running back Max Jones (10 TDs, more than 500 yards in the final three games) against the Red Raiders, who is led running backs senior Austin Farry and sophomore Zachary Rimsa. 

Hear a great interview with Kumin by Belmont Marauder Media.

 

Pep Rally Peps Up Pupils Before Belmont’s Gridiron Tussle with H2O-Town

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How can you have a Thanksgiving Day football game without a Pep Rally?

And while not on the level of the near gladiatorial rallies seen in West Texas or other football hotbeds, Belmont High’s allowed for a great deal of school and class spirit to shine on a rainy, dreary day before the annual Belmont/Watertown game on Thursday, Nov. 27.

The Marching Band played, the cheerleaders cheered, the fall sports teams were honored and there were a series of races and challenges with musical chairs and tug of war (which literally became a clash of entire classes) being the most popular.

This year, the school honored its first group of Model Marauders, students who excel in areas of education at the High School.

Kolya Illarionov (scholarship) for outstanding commitment to his academics and the creative flair he has with projects and presentations.

Anna Handte-Reinecker (art) for excellence in photography and the machining of her own dolly system for time-lapse camera shots.

Devan O’Toole and Tess Hayner (citizenship). O’Toole created, advertised, planned and ran a haunted house fundraiser for BHS students and the Belmont community, raising $1,100 for the Make a Wish Foundation. Hayner created, planned and ran the first “Speed Dating Career Night,” where seniors and juniors were able to interact with young career professionals.

Teacher Dan Moresco (staff) for his creative teaching, involvement, and caring approach to students and facility at Belmont High School.